What was your first car, and what's your current one? What made you pick that car over others?
My first car was an old Jaguar XJ8 when I was 16, I bought it for $1,000 and put a refurbished transmission in it. Current car is a Maserati Granturismo Sport.
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London's weather this year makes me want to buy a Vespa lol
First car: 2003 Nissan Maxima - silver. Current (Second) car: 2016 Infiniti Q50 - black.
Bought the Infiniti a couple months ago after I graduated. Loving it so far, but I'll always miss my silver bullet.
I’m a proud owner of a Nissan Versa, I’m not particularly into cars but driving is smooth and 34+ mpg is great.
I absolutely love this car. Great look and great mpg.
First car: older Audi A4. Previous owner had lowered it, put a loud exhaust on it, and done a lot more modifications. Was fun while I had it. Totaled it right before I graduated HS.
Current car: Mercedes ML350. I buy cars weirdly. I get a list of possibilities, place a value on each one for maximum out the door price, and call dealerships offering my price. Take it or leave it. This dealer happened to bite at a lower price than the other options and this car was in better condition than other cars. Planning on keeping it until it gets totaled.
Still have the ML350?
Yeah I do. I plan on keeping it until it dies. You thinking of getting one?
First car was a 2001 Honda Accord, which drove me across the USA countless times. Thing was a machine.
I've driven everything from Mercedes, Acuras, Jeep Wranglers, my ex's Bentley for a couple months...if there is one thing I cannot stand it's going to a mechanic because either the parts are insane or the cars are made poorly so I cannot fix it myself
But I came back to the Honda accord '15 year model, took it down from $21k before tax to $14.5k after tax, with only 30k miles on it.
My future kids will drive the car one day and my friends with cooler cars will always loan them to me if I want to race up the coast or want to go off-roading. I'm content, and I've tuned it so it drives like a yacht.
You've tuned it so it drives like a yacht!?
First Car: Used m-sport bmw, 6mt. Worked 80 hours a week for 6 months at a car shop to pocket enough cash for it. One of the most stupid things I’ve done with money in my life, but I was just a 16 year old petrolhead that didn’t care about anything else. It was my dream car.
Got lucky on the forums and found an owner that was moving to Germany and needed to sell his whip ASAP, so he lobbed it to me for an absolute steal. Enthusiasts are the best to deal with.
Current car: Don’t have one, but when I move out of my city 5-10 years from now it’ll definitely be a Porsche. Ideally a 6MT GT3, if they’re even still gonna be doing that sort of thing.
Serious question would there be a massive price increase for manual transmission cars in the future? I understand how satisfying it is to change gears so would the lack of supply cause the demand to increase or are manual transmission cars a thing of the past ?
I don't see any reason why there would be a huge price increase. Manual transmissions are cheaper to produce than most auto transmissions (especially something like a PDK). This is assuming a new car.
Used market cars tend to hold value better if they are stick. I can think to the E60 M5 holding value way better than the auto version.
To build on what track_day_bro said, there is a lack of demand for manual cars, not an excess (which is another reason prices will not increase, main reason still is that they are cheaper to produce though).
People are forgetting how to drive them or getting lazy, not sure which one it is, but there has been what feels like a significant decrease in automotive enthusiasm over the past decade. Maybe it's just the social bubbles online and IRL that I've interacted with but to me it feels night & day.
The reason I said "if they are even still gonna be doing that sort of thing" is because automakers are downsizing their engines (environment) and are focusing on things like 0-60 times to the point it's getting a bit ridiculous. This competition for the quickest car between the holy trinity (BMW, Mercedes, Audi) has led to quite the arms race for the best all wheel drive & 8 speed automatic transmission. It has it's pros and cons and is arguably for the best (not sure where I stand in that regard).
I am now I'm ranting too much with no direction but TLDR; manual transmissions are an endangered species and it's possible they'll be needles in the haystack in the near future, if not completely gone.
My understanding is that for very high end cars, the forces at the clutch are just too great to use a manual transmission. In just a decade we’ve gone from 450-500hp being an exotic hyper car to an 800hp ferrari touring car. So lower end or lower powered cars may still have them. But hyper cars, it’s dead.
GT3s are such perfect cars. Definitely looking to own one at some point in the future too. I've been thinking of doing one of those Porsche experience days near my city where they let you drive a GT2, GT3 and Carrera on a track for like $1000, which seems like a steal for cars of that calibre.
I also plan to do a Porsche experience. Might pair it with euro delivery in the future.. definitely worth it.
Make sure you're the one actually driving it for that price. For some reason I remember it being more expensive but I could be wrong.
Either way, GT3 is my goal car. I don't think you can get a better bang for your buck with anything else.
First Car: Metropolitan Transportation Authority Current Car: Bay Area Rapid Transit
You got shipped to San Fran? Ruthless
1st car 95 Cadillac seville gold 2nd car 93 Lexus 400 gold Current car 2014 Nissan Altima
1980-something- Buick Century
2019 Honda CR-V with leather package
First car - Green Mercury Sable
Hahahahahaha
First car: 1995 Isuzu Trooper Current car: 2005 Subaru Outback
I don’t give a fuck about cars, as long as I can get up into the mountains and smash through snow.
First Car: 94 Jeep Wrangler (hunting jeep now) Current Car: 05 Tacoma 4Dr Longbed
First car was a 1991 BMW 525i (got my license in 2002), now drive a Toyota Camry XLE
First car was a 2000 Volvo s80
Recently purchased a 2016 Mazda 3 hatcback which has been a blast so far.
Interesting to see how most people here bought their cars. I lease an Audi A3 2.0T $550 a month (incl tax). Is it a rip off? I don’t know. Convince myself its good value for what you get... interested to hear if that seems outrageous relative to other options out there?
Omg yes that is a rip off. You are paying wayyyy to much for a car with mediocre specs (this is coming from an audi enthusiast, but the A3 is really just Audi's way of competing with the 328I and the C300).. I sincerely mean no disrespect to you, but leasing a car is the dumbest thing in the world, because at the end of your lease you are left with two shitty options: 1. Walk away empty handed 2. Overpay for a used car (people dothis because they don't understand sunk costs). Even if you know nothing about cars, you should speak to someone who is informed. You're overpaying for a badge, AND leasing. In other words, you're paying the cost of a loan on a nice performance car, but you 1. Aren't actually paying a loan, so you don't keep the car, and 2. Aren't driving a performance car! Please consult with friends or even message boards (preferably car oriented ones, but even WSO would work) before you make your next decision regarding a car.
Huge audi fan, currently drive an A4... $550 for a leased A3 is asinine, that is more than the payment to buy my A4...
First Car: 1982 Mercedes SL 280 with a detachable hardtop roof Current Car: 2000 Audi A6 Avant Wagon Car I will likely be purchasing in the next 1-2 months: Honda Accord Sport CVT
If you live in a city there is no point in owning a nice car (or even a fake nice car - looking at all you C300/328i owners out there) until you are making bank and over 30 (even then, probably would still advise against). You need to pay for a garage near your house and near work, and eating those costs is straight up stupid.
First car: 2007 VW Jetta with a 5-speed Current car: 1999 Subaru Forester (daily) and 2003 Honda S2000 (weekend/track car)
Debating trading in both for a Golf R or getting an older Evo X to get a daily trackable car – garage space is getting too tight. I don't know if I can bring myself to get rid of the S2000 though, that thing is too much fun.
First Car: Red 2016 Honda Civic
Current Car: Black 2019 Honda Civic
My parents bought my first one on my 17th birthday, but I passed it on to my younger siblings and I used my SA money to lease my current car for senior year of college. Hopefully after the lease is up I'll have some real $$$ to buy myself a real car and start living like a real finance bro, bro.
First car: 1999 Civic hatch with swapped k20 Current car: Mazda CX-9 (kids and all...) Next car: Who the fuck knows Dream car: 1998 Toyota Supra Single Turbo
Hyundai/Kia is killing it with a fresh approach to sedans. Anybody see their 2020 sonata or 2021 kia optima, they no longer have bland designs and are packing some serious luxury features for an affordable price.
First car I bought was a 13 Wrangler 2 door. Bought it used with 251 miles on it from a rich dude in Long Island. Still have it, now has ~130k on it.
I’ve preordered the Cybertruck
My first car was a used 93 White Ford Exploder... no pun intended, as it's final day of use the engine caught fire when I was driving up a steep hill.
First Car- Crappy rebuilt title mid 2000s entry level german car. Broke down every 10K miles and needed a 2-5K repair was so annoying.
Current and Second Car- Mustang from 2010. Much cheaper car to maintain but equally fun to drive.
First car: 2000 (i think?) Chrysler Cirrus Current car: 2016 Lexus IS 300
First car: 1997 Nissan Sentra ~$1.1K
Given NY residence do not own one but next will be an Aston Martin Vantage - car guy till I die so no lectures on how its a poor use of $$$ ;)
Thank you. Some people just do not understand the passion some of us have for high ends exotic sports cars.
Truth!! One can't view cars as a simple point A to point B to me - just asinine given how much pleasure I derive from them but we value and like what we like separately haha
My first car was an Opel Astra. My parents gave it to me after I got my license. I had no personal income at the time and could not afford to buy the car I dreamed of. To be honest, my dream is still not a reality. I'm still saving up to buy a Mercedes GLC in the future. Cars and speed are my weakness. I'm ready to talk about cars forever and discuss new car models, and I believe that I will reach my goal. Every day I watch the latest news about cars in the country and the world, read interesting articles on https://zumroad.com/automotive, and am inspired by the achievements of people.
Have driven the GLC quite extensively for a hamptons weekend I did a couple years ago. It's a fine people transporter but can I ask why that's the one you're aiming for? There was nothing special about it if I'm honest. But curious to hear your thoughts.
I do not look in my past to remind me of my old cars, I focus on the present; Tesla and Aston Martin, future looking to upgrade this year, should inflation be tamed.
I hope banking never turns me into someone this annoying
dude stfu
First car: 1997 Dodge Neon
Current Car: 2015 Mazda 3
Had a nice modern upgrade, but honestly the Dodge Neon wasn’t bad. The Mazda 3s now are almost like go carts, in a good way. Super fun to drive. I don’t think a luxury car in the city is worth it.
First: 1986 Mitsubishi Mighty Max pick-up. The off-brand Toyota Tacoma/Hiluxe that was as brutal if not more so because it had to be because it wasn't the favored war-son.
Now: 2003 VW Passat W8. I know, a Passat. How droll, right? Only eight cylinder Passat model ever made. Literally half a Bugatti Veyron engine and rest of the drive-train to match.
Next? Something else as interesting and unique. That Volvo S60R that the neighbor wants to punt? Another classic M5? Continue my subconcious quest to own all the cars from 'Ronin' and move on to an early 2000's Audi S8?
What was the first car / current thread to get your passwords stolen?
First car: 2005 Acura MDX
Current: 1997 BMW M3, 2001 BMW M5
I own my two dream cars and couldn’t be happier. Yes it’s unreasonable to most but I work on them myself to reduce costs.
Is the E36 the proper 3/4/5?
The E36 is a Coupe 5spd manual, my preference
I’ve looked at getting an e39 but the prices these days are insane. How many miles are on yours?
125k on the e39 168k on the e36, both high but well taken care of and nice spec
08 Mustang, had it since high-school and it's still goin' 7-8 ish years later. Next car is going to be either a C6 Vette or a 5.0 Mustang
Vettes are sick
Please tell me why?
I could never really understand them, driven one but I felt very little, what am I missing?
Yeah man! I really want to get my hands on a c6 corvette, the LS3 engine is practically bulletproof. At this stage in my life, it's the only raw sports car that won't break the bank, such a timeless aesthetic to it too.
Kia spectra. Took the abuse of an angry teen/20 year old like a champ!I foolishly pushed that thing to 120 one time.
Never Happened
You’re right, may have been 118 or 119.
I do rock a minivan though. Off top.
You still got your Acura?
I’m impressed with it. I’m like the ultimate dorky dad now, and I love it!
First: 1999 Turbo Passt Wagon
Now: 2018 Subaru Forester xt touring
Uber
HK life
My first car was a 1989 Volvo 740 Turbo Wagon 5spd manual. I worked at the local tennis club and saved $1400 to buy it when I was 14.
This was 2 weeks before my 15th birthday and got my license at 15. I put a surf rack on top and was just living the dream.
Yeah exactly - good memory.
I put a Rockford fosgate in the Spectra to bump some 50 Cent. Just what you did as a suburban white kid at that time.
Anyone see the new 2023 400hp Nissan Z? It looks pretty cool and is only like $40K.
If I were still in my teens then yes, now I only seem to want exotic sports cars or G wagon/Urus.
Haha true - I’m a big fan of the Urus too even though a Jeep Trackhawk is much cheaper and just as fast.
First car (gift from parents) was an Acura TSX back in 2006. My second car (and the first one I bought) when I moved back to London was a new Mini Cooper S in 2014. Now that I'm back in US I get driven in Lincoln Navigators or, on rare occasions, Escalades and Suburbans lol. I'm thinking about a Vantage or 911 though ngl, but the roads are so horrid that getting a G-Wagon probably makes more sense.
A mini, omg. I like looking at them but not to own. Most of my time in London I drove Hondas; prelude/accord.
Then I moved to the states, where I completely spoilt myself without Honda s2000, still one of the most fun, I have had with a car, then the others cars followed which made my car snobbery increase.
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